Turning Point
by thedeliverygod
Summary: "If I'm going home, then you need to go, too." She answered automatically, trailing behind him, "Father will be angry with both of us, you know." "Yeah, well, I don't care what Father says or does anymore." He narrowed his eyes, hastily continuing forward, "I'm going off on my own." [Yaboku centric drabble, light manga spoilers]


**All this time I wanted to write a comedic fic about a bratty teenage Yato and somehow I got this more drama-filled but inspirational thing instead. But that's okay, I kinda like how it turned out. Believe it or not, I'm pretty sure this is my first time writing Nora/Hiiro? So that was good practice at the very least.**

 _Turning Point_

"Where are you going?"

A light voice cut through the darkness, causing him to jump. Letting out a huff, he continued to feel his way around the trees, "Go home, Hiiro."

"If I'm going home, then you need to go, too." She answered automatically, trailing behind him, "Father will be angry with both of us, you know."

"Yeah, well, I don't care what Father says or does anymore." He narrowed his eyes, hastily continuing forward, "I'm going off on my own."

"Why would you do that?" Her voice rose, curious and confused.

He finally paused and glanced back at her, "Because he just uses us. Can't you see that?"

Hiiro immediately glared in response, "Father loves us." He finally was just a bit taller than her, but he found the small girl was just as intimidating as she had been when he was a small child.

"Only if we do as he wants." He corrected before starting to walk again.

Hiiro dashed out in front of him and stopped him in his tracks, "Why wouldn't we? He's the reason you even exist in the first place, correct? And I likely would have become food for the ayakashi if I hadn't been named. We both owe him everything."

He lowered his head and bit his lip, acknowledging, "I _know_ that. But… I just can't do it anymore. I'm going to find other wishes to grant."

"Why are you hesitating? Did you disobey Father and talk to somebody else again?" She didn't say her name, but he knew that she meant Sakura, "You never cared before her. And even after her, you still did as you were told for a long time."

"No, I didn't talk to anyone." He mumbled, barely audible.

But he often thought about the things Sakura taught him, and how he felt when he was with her, as opposed to his so called family. He'd also watched human families in secret for his own sort of validation, and sure he saw some elements of what he had, but the differences were clear. So very clear.

And as for other gods, well… He'd really only had a few experiences with Tenjin, and needless to say they weren't great ones, but there were no other gods that he had heard of with a situation even somewhat close to what he had. And there definitely was never a god who was _forbidden_ to have a shrine; the very thing that kept gods alive, in most cases. And never a god who only granted wishes for one person. Of course, what he had been able to hear and read was limited, but it obviously wasn't common place, that was for sure.

"I decided this on my own." He pushed past her, continuing to walk, though he stumbled over the roots of a tree after making only a few steps. Catching himself, he kept walking and let out a small sigh of relief in that he didn't hear Hiiro moving behind him.

"You're being stupid, Yaboku." He finally heard her call out, "And I'm going to tell Father."

"Go ahead. Honestly, he'll probably be happier without me around." He answered with a small laugh, though a bit of annoyance as well as disappoint came through in his tone.

She didn't answer him, but he heard her move swiftly back in the direction of their home.

He was fairly confident in that his father wouldn't come looking for him, but he was still on edge as he continued to trudge through the forest with only the small amount of moonlight to guide him. Even a few days after and even a few _weeks_ after he'd made the decision to leave, he couldn't help but peek his eyes open at any small sound any time he tried to sleep.

He never stayed anywhere for long, and he often switched between whether or not he was dismayed or grateful for the fact that most people didn't notice him. He knew it went against Sakura's wishes, but he found himself back to taking whatever he needed from merchants. After all, how could a god without a shrine receive any food offerings? And it wasn't like he had any money, either.

Not to mention the fact he couldn't even _grant_ wishes yet because he couldn't even find a spirit to name as a shinki. Since Hiiro was presented to him by his father and he ran into Sakura completely by accident, he never really thought much about the difficulties involved.

It was honestly making him nervous. Aside from the fact there were ayakashi literally _everywhere,_ gods needed wishes to even stay alive. But what if he _couldn't_ find a shinki before…?

He shook his head.

There had to be someone. _Anyone_.

Another whole week passed by and just as he was beginning to consider if he should go back to his Father and Hiiro, the next day he spotted a spirit hovering near a small pond just outside of the town he had spent the last few days in.

Excitedly, he raised his hand and started to spout the words automatically, "Thou with nowhere to go and nowhere to return… I shall grant you a place to belong." He hesitated, closing his eyes and taking a slow breath before continuing.

"My name is Yato."


End file.
